Dehydrating Vegetables

Read the basic information on dehydrating on the dehydrating Menu Link.

Asparagus

• Wash the vegetables
• Remove any tough ends.
• Steam blanch for 3 minutes. Drain.
• Dehydrate asparagus at 100 degrees (F) for 35 hours or until dry and brittle (to avoid them molding in storage).

Dried asparagus is best used in soups, casseroles, or dishes that require mashed asparagus.
To rehydrate, soak in hot water for 30 minutes and drain. Stalks will likely remain a little tough.

Beans

• Wash the vegetables
• Snip off ends and cut into 1” pieces.
• Steam blanch for 4 minutes, then soak in iced water for 4 minutes.
• Drain the vegetables.
• Place green beans on a cookie sheet in a single layer and freeze for 45 minutes.
• Dehydrate green beans at 100 degrees (F) for about 30 hours or until crisp.

Dried green beans are best served in hot main dishes like stews, soups, casseroles.
To rehydrate, soak in cold water for 2 hours, or in hot water for 1 hour.

Beets

• Wash the vegetables.
• Remove tops.
• Cut beets in half.
• Steam the vegetables until tender (about 20 minutes).
• Peel and cut into ½” slices (or shred).
• Then dehydrate the beets (slices) at 100 degrees (F) for about 12 hours or until brittle. Dehydrate shredded beets for approx. 10 hours.

Dried beets can be ground in your food processor and use for color or flavoring.
To rehydrate, soak in cold water for 1 hour and rain, or soak overnight in the fridge and drain.
Try putting some into blender with liquid and other ingredients when making green smoothies.

Broccoli

• Wash the vegetables
• Peel the tough skin from the stalks.
• Separate the florets from the stalks.
• Cut the stalks into ½” diagonal slices and cut the florets into uniform pieces.
• dehydrate broccoli at 100 degrees for about 18 hours or until brittle.

Rehydrated broccoli is best used in soups and casseroles.
To rehydrate, soak in hot water for 30 minutes or steam for 15 minutes (until tender).
For fresher looking broccoli, soak in cold water for 5 minutes before cooking.

Brussels Sprouts

• Wash the vegetables
• Remove tough outer leaves.
• Cut sprouts in half.
• Steam blanch the vegetables for 3 minutes and drain.
• Dehydrate brussels sprouts at 100 degrees for 12 hours or until brittle.

To rehydrate, soak in hot water with a little lemon juice for about 30 minutes.

Cabbage

• Wash the cabbage heads and trim away the outer leaves.
• Remove the core
• Shred/grate the cabbage head.
• Steam blanch vegetables for 2 minutes.
• Dehydrate cabbage at 100 degrees (F) for 18 hours or until crisp.

Dried cabbage can be added directly to soups or stews without rehydrating. Note: Red cabbage loses some of its color when rehydrated.
To rehydrate, soak in cold water with a little lemon juice for 30 minutes and drain.

Carrots

• Wash the carrots and trim off the tops.
• Cut into ¼” slices (or shred).
• Dehydrate carrots at 100 degrees for about 16 hours (for slices) or 12 hours for shredded carrots (until brittle).

Dried carrots can be added directly to stews and soups without rehydrating.
To rehydrate, soak in cold water for 30 minutes and drain.

Celery

• Trim away leaves and ends
• Wash celery stalks and cut into ½” pieces.
• Soak vegetables for 5 minutes in 6 cups of cold water/1 tbsp baking soda (helps preserve the color).
• Blanch for 2 minutes and drain.
• Dehydrate celery at 100 degrees (F) for about 18 hours or until crisp.

Make celery flakes by processing dried celery in a blender or food processor. For celery salt, mix ground dried celery with equal parts of salt. Put some into blender with water and other ingredients when making green smoothies.
To rehydrate, soak in hot water for 1 hour, drain.

Chard

• Wash chard well
• Remove stems.
• Dehydrate chard at 100 degrees (F) for 10 hours or until brittle.

To rehydrate, soak in hot water with a little lemon juice for 15 minutes, drain well. Put some into blender with water and other ingredients when making green smoothies.

Corn

• Shuck ears and remove silk.
• Steam blanch ears for 4 minutes, then drain.
• Cut kernels from ears.
• Dry kernels at 100 degrees (F) for 18 hours or until crisp.

Dried corn works well in casseroles, creamed corn, stews, chowders, soups. You can even grind dried corn to make your own cornmeal.
To rehydrate, soak in hot water for about 30 minutes and drain.

Eggplant

• Wash eggplant
• Cut the vegetable into ½” slices.
• Dehydrate eggplant at 100 degrees (F) for about 20 hours or until leathery.

Dried eggplant works well in casseroles.
To rehydrate, soak in hot water for about 30 minutes and drain.

Garlic

• Use firm cloves without bruises.
• Peel cloves and cut in half.
• Remove the sprout in the middle.
• Dehydrate garlic cloves at 100 degrees (F) for about 6 hours or until crisp.

To make garlic powder, grind the dried garlic in a blender or seed grinder. For garlic salt, mix ground dried garlic with 4 parts salt.
To rehydrate, soak in cold water for about 3 hours in the fridge and drain.

Leeks

• Remove the tough top and outer leaves.
• Wash the vegetables in cold water.
• Cut the stalks in half, lengthwise.
• Slice crossways into ¼” slices
• Dehydrate leeks at 100 degrees (F) for 18 hours or until crisp.

rehydrate by soaking in hot water for 30 minutes and drain.

Mushrooms

• Rinse mushrooms quickly
• Trim mushrooms and cut into 1/4 inch slices.
• Dehydrate mushrooms at 100 degrees (F) for 18 hours or until crisp.

To rehydrate, soak in cold water for 30 minutes and drain.

Onion

• Remove skin.
• Dice onion or else cut into 1/4 inch slices.
• Dehydrate onion at 100 degrees (F) for 20 hours or until brittle.

Make onion flakes and onion powder by grinding in a food mill or blender. For onion salt, mix onion powder with even parts salt.
To rehydrate, soak in hot water for 15 minutes and drain.

Parsnips

• Wash and peel (optional) parsnips
• Slice vegetables into 1/4 inch slices (or shred).
• Steam blanch for 4 minutes and drain.
• Dehydrate parsnips at 100 degrees (F) for about 16 hours or until brittle. Dehydrate shredded parsnips for 10/12 hours.

Try rehydrated parsnips mashed like mashed potatoes.
To rehydrate, soak in hot water for 1 hour, drain.

Peas

• Remove peas from the pods.
• Steam blanch vegetables for 3 minutes and drain.
• Dehydrate peas at 100 degrees (F) for 12 hours or until brittle.

To rehydrate dried peas, soak in hot water for 30 minutes and drain.

Peppers

• Wash peppers and remove core.
• Dice or cut vegetables into 1/4" slices.
• Dehydrate pepper at 100 degrees (F) for 24 hours or until brittle.

For a little crunch in your salad, try adding dried bell pepper pieces.
To rehydrate dried peppers, soak in hot water for 20 minutes and drain.

Potatoes

• Scrub, peel (optional) and rinse potatoes.
• Dice, grate or cut into 1/4 inch slices.
• Soak vegetables in ascorbic acid or lemon juice solution for 5 minutes and drain. (If you don't pretreat potatoes, they will turn black)
• Dehydrate potatoes at 100 degrees for 8 hours or until crisp.

To rehydrate, soak in cold water for 30 minutes, drain and pat dry.

Spinach

• Wash spinach well
• Remove stems.
• Dehydrate spinach at 100 degrees (F) for 10 hours or until brittle.

To rehydrate, soak in hot water with a little lemon juice for 15 minutes, drain well. Put some into blender with water and other ingredients when making green smoothies.

Tomatillos

• Remove papery husk and wash tomatillos. Remove stems.
• Cut in half.
• Dehydrate tomatillos at 100 degrees (F) until leathery (can take a couple of days, depending upon size).

These make a delicious, sweet snack, if dehydrated once the fruit has ripened. Use rehydrated in salsas.
To rehydrate, soak for 15 to 30 minutes in hot water and drain.

Tomatoes

• Wash tomatoes and remove stems.
• Cut into ½” slices. If smaller tomatoes (like cherry or small plum tomatoes), then you can cut them in half.)
• Dehydrate tomatoes at 100 degrees (F) until crisp (slices – takes about 24 hours and halved plums take about 3 days).

Use in stews, sauces or marinades. Crumble and sprinkle on foods or put in things like crackers and hummas.
To rehydrate, soak for 15 to 30 minutes in cold water.

Zucchini

• Wash zucchini
• Trim and cut into ¼ “ slices (or grate).
• Dry zucchini at 100 degrees (F) for 12 hours or until brittle.

Grated zucchini works well in baked items like zucchini bread. Slices work well in casseroles, or use seasoned dried chips as snacks.
To rehydrate, soak in hot water for 30 minutes and rain.